Chapter 31: Phlebotomy

You need to collect a venous blood specimen from a patient to run a FBS test. Which of the following would be an inappropriate statement to make to the patient during this procedure?

"this procedure will not hurt"

Which of the following gauge needles should be used to perform a venipuncture?

21 G

Why should the veins of the hands used as a venipuncture site only as a last resort?

All of the above (they have a tendency to roll, they are more difficult to stick, the procedure is more uncomfortable for the patient, the hand veins are more susceptible to collapsing)

An individual who collects blood specimen is known as

Phlebotomist

Your physician has requested an electrolyte profile on a patient. The laboratory directory indicates this test requires 4 ml of serum. Which of the following tubes should be used to collect the specimen?

a 10 ml red stoppered tube

Which of the following is most likely to collapse when performing a venipuncture?

a small vein

Which of the following is found in the serum of blood?

all of the above (glucose, hormones, chloride, antibodies)

Which of the following may occur if a tourniquet is applied too tightly?

all of the above (it may be uncomfortable for the patient, inaccurate test results may occur, the arterial blood flow may be obstructed, the venous blood flow may be obstructed)

Which of the following should not be used as a venipuncture site?

all of the above (scarred skin, bruised skin, an area that is painful to the patient, burned skin)

After drawing a blood specimen for an electrolyte profile, the next is to

allow the specimen to stand in an upright position for 30 to 45 minutes

The size of the evacuated tube you choose to obtain a venous blood specimen depends on the

amount of specimen required for the test

Which of the following techniques can be used to prevent a vein from rolling?

applying firm pressure below the vein

What may occur if the needle is removed from the arm before removing the tourniquet?

bleeding may occur around the puncture site

When performing a capillary puncture, the finger should not be squeezed to avoid

diluting the blood sample with tissue fluid

An evacuated glass tube with a lavender stop contains

ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA)

How is serum obtained?

from clotted blood that has been centrifuged

During the venipuncture procedure, a sudden swelling occurs in the area around the puncture site. You should

immediately remove the tourniquet and then the needle

Hemolysis of a blood specimen results in

inaccurate test result

If a fibrin clot formed in the serum layer of a blood specimen, it would

interfere with adequate serum collection

When collecting a blood specimen using the vacuum tube method of venipuncture, venous reflux is prevented by

keeping the patient's arm in a downward position

Which of the following sites can be used to make a skin puncture on a adult?

lateral part of the third fingertip

What color stopper tube is used to collect a blood specimen for a CBC?

lavender

All of the following are correct techniques for applying tourniquet except

leaving the tourniquet on for at least 2 minutes before drawing the specimen

What color stopper tube is used to collect a blood specimen for a PTT?

light blue

The purpose of applying a tourniquet when performing venipuncture is to

make the patient veins more prominent

Which of the following antecubital veins is considered the best vein to use for a venipuncture?

medial cubital vein

Which of the following results in patient discomfort during the venipuncture procedure?

moving the needle after it has been inserted into the vein

An evacuated glass tube with a red stopper contains

nothing

What may occur if a finger puncture is made that is deeper than 3.1 mm?

penetration of the bone

On standing, a blood specimen to which an anticoagulant has been added separates into

plasma, buffy coat, and blood cells

You re performing a routine venipuncture, and the patient becomes dizzy and is about to faint. Your first priority in this situation should be used to

protect the patient from injury

What color stopper tube is to collect blood specimen for most blood chemistry tests?

red

Which of the following indicates the correct order of draw for the vacuum tube method of venipuncture?

red, green, lavender, gray

When performing venipuncture, which of the following techniques represents a violation of the OSHA standard?

removing the plastic holder from the needle for reuse

Which of the following represents an error in technique when working with an evacuated tubes?

shaking a tube containing an anticoagulant after drawing it

On palpation, a scarred vein feels

stiff and hard

What may occur if an angle of less than 15 degrees is used to perform the venipuncture?

the needle may enter the skin above the vein and not puncture it

What may occur if an outdated evacuated tube is used to collect the blood specimen?

the tube may no longer have a vacuum

If you suspect a vein selected for venipuncture might collapse, you should

use the butterfly method to perform the venipuncture

Which of the following may result in hemolysis of the blood specimen?

using a needle with a small lumen to collect the specimen

Whole blood is obtained by

using a tube containing an anticoagulant

Which of the following represents an error in technique when obtaining a capillary blood specimen?

using the first drop of blood for the test

Which of the following represents an error in technique when selecting a vein for venipuncture?

using the thumb palpate the vein